Extremely Self-Consious About My 2 Month PP Body (Hollie)

onMonday, October 8, 2012

My name is Hollie, I’m 21 years old, and I gave birth to my beautiful, wonderful son Triston 2 months ago. I gave birth vaginally, and slightly underestimated how much it would hurt, haha. I knew that my postpartum body wouldn’t be like my prepregnancy body by any means, but i didn’t expect the stretch marks to completely ravage my stomach, hips and legs the way they have.I’ve always had terrible problems with self-image (my mom would call my thunder thighs when i was younger and told me not to go to the beach for my honeymoon because my husband would definitely look at everyone but me and my dad would tell me i needed to stop eating so much, that I looked like i could eat someone out of house and home.) and that caused me to work out all the time in high school and I ended up with an incredibly toned tummy, and it’s been flat since then.Until I got pregnant and the comments started back up. I remember going to the lake when i was 7 months pregnant with my husband and my much skinnier friend and confidently wearing a 2-piece until my mom asked me how i wear that and stand next to my friend knowing she looked so much better than I did… so this has been like a nightmare to see every time I look in the mirror. I honestly don’t even see how my husband could find me attractive. This website has been a real help to me, when I found it I was on for an hour looking at the stories and pictures and they brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for creating a place like this where mommies like me can feel normal.

My body looked very similar to yours two months after having my daughter. Now she is 6 years old and the stretch marks have faded to white slithers and I have lost 30 pounds. I feel awesome and even more confident. You are a mom and an unfinished product. You just gave birth and I’m sure that is what your husband finds most attractive about you. You welcomed his son and made sacrifices, that is always beautiful.

You and I look very similar. I am five weeks PP and my stomach, hips and legs are also covered in marks. To be honest with you though… I am confident my marks (and yours!) will fade. You won’t be the same, but you’re still beautiful and fabulous!

You look beautiful and you are 2 months PP. The “family” in your life sounds like a great bunch of people. The important question is, how do YOU feel? When my first daughter was born, I thought I was curvy and beautiful…until the wrong people in my life told me otherwise. We need to remember we brought babies into this world, sacrificing our bodies to get them here. We shouldn’t be made to feel ugly for something so natural and beautiful. We are MOTHERS, Gods angels for His children.

I think you look amazing! 2months postpartum? No freaking way!!! Uuuugggh I’d kill for your body. You have a beautiful shape and trust me when I say the stretch marks will fade to nearly nothing (which by the way your stretch marks are very light already for being only 2mpp). Enjoy your new bunddle of joy they grow so quick!

Your belly looks flat!!!
It took me about 1 year to get my belly flag like yours…
I too have stretch mark but I’m honestly over then, I wasted so much time worrying about them. They are part of me now.
I have them on my belly, thighs (back/inner), my hips and pelvis.

I too sometimes wonder how my partner finds me attractive but I know he honestly does…

Don’t let other people bring you down about yourself! I know it is hard to not let it get to you when it is your parents, but they problem have self-esteem issues of their own and take it out on you. YOu look great for being only two months pp! You have a wonderful,curvy figure! You just had a baby, give yourself some time to heal and enjoy your baby. I am sure your husband thinks you are beautiful. We are usually harder on ourselves than we need to be.

The things your mother told you were cruel, but untrue. You are so beautiful. I hope you can stand up to her for what she has done to your self esteem.
You are only two months postpartum, those stretchmarks are going to fade a lot. Try to remember to love your body for what it achieved instead of loathing it for the way it changed. Focus on your baby, who is going to bring so much love and joy to you, and get rid of any negativity lingering in your life.

As someone with a family who makes the same TOXIC commentary: please, please, please shut it out. My dad projected his own weight issues onto me and I live with it every day. Reject their negative opinions and realize it it a truly crappy way to treat another human being (especially, um, your child?!) AND understand what it says about them, not you. I would be very upset if my mom suggested not avoiding the beach based on another person’s actions- this is emotionally abusive and you need to disengage from it, for your own sanity!

Please- love yourself. Your body shape is looking awesome and you are soooo recently postpartum. The marks will fade down but even they are not extreme in the least. You did something really hard on a body; don’t hold yourself to an impossible standard to please other people who may never be happy no matter what you do. You are beautiful. Much love.

Hi beautiful Hollie,
I am so glad you found this website! I have been relying on it for the past 3 years since I had my daughter on how to love my woman body.
The rude comments your mom and dad say; ignore it. Rude and uncalled for! Your tummy looks awesome for only 2 moths pp, I was still puffy like a marshmallow at 2 pp. those stretchers will soon turn into silver lines in the next year. Size doesn’t matter it’s being healthy and happy what really matters. You can’t judge the size of a persons heart or soul by the outer shell they have. You are beautiful and blessed!

First of all the stretch marks will fade! Don’t worry. It has not been very long. I think you look great! Nice boobs!
2nd of all you need to tell your mother to stop or you need to stop being around her. I am so sorry that your parents make you feel this way. Pregnancy is hard enough!

Wow, I’m so sorry you have been treated that way. You don’t deserved that. No one should say stuff like that.

Looking at all the beautiful women on this site helped me see my own beauty. Its wonderful therapy.

You are beautiful too. You tummy will heal, it will take up to a year. And your streach marks will heal too. They don’t go away, but they change color to a very light pink. But even now, before you have healed, you are beautiful. Spend some time working on your self image (the way you THINK of yourself), because you have to love yourself, your worth it.

hello hollie – you are very beautiful girl! your mothers evil comments about your body, are unacceptable. please tell her to shut up if she speak to u like that again. she seems like a person that tries to bring u down. hugs

Hollie, when your husband says he finds you attractive trust him, he means it. If it wasn’t for the stretch marks I would never guess you just had a baby. You have a beautiful hourglass shape, looks like your stretch marks are deep so it might take a while for them to fade, but with time they WILL fade. I’m so sorry for what you have to go through because of your parents. My advice is shut your ears to negative comments about your body, and believe your husband when he says you’re beautiful attractive. At the end you will be so much happier.

Hi Hollie,
A few things…the stretchmarks look just like mine did after all three of my babies. But each time, they fade away and become very light and unnoticeable. Betcha they will be long gone by next summer and swimsuit season.
Next, I agree with the previous posters…you have a gorgeous shape, great boobs, and a FLAT stomach! Girl, if you look like that at two months postpartum, you’re gonna be tight and taunt again really quickly.
I had moments when I was really down on my body, but that’s when you hand baby to hubby when he gets home, and get some endorphines pumping. Go boxing, and take out some aggression you hold back from your mom.
IGNORE HER…she’s probably jealous of your confidence. Sad but probably true.

Shame on your mother and father for being so cruel. Absolute shame. It disgusts me to hear parents belittle their children. Parents are supposed to support and love their children unconditionally. You look great, and it will only get better. Don’t let other people get under your skin, especially your mother. I know she is your mother and you have to respect her, no matter how much she disrespects you.. but if i were you i’d tell her to shove it. I’m sure she didn’t look fantastic after she had children either. Keep your head up!